Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - June 1, 2004
Anchalee Kongrut
Under the "Partners for Health" project, community members, Aids patients and their families will be trained as volunteer workers to provide counselling as well as home-based medicare, including follow-up visits - a process to ensure Aids patients will continue to take their medicine.
Joining the project are the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Public Health Ministry's Disease Control Department, Thailand Business Coalition on Aids (TBCA) and the Centre for People and Families Affected by Aids.
City clerk Khunying Nathanon Thavisin said emotional support from society and families is as important to patients as access to medicine.
While patients have little problem getting access to GPOVIR, a low-cost Aids drug cocktail produced by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, there are still many who quit treatment due to lack of support and understanding from their families and society.
Under the project, TBCA - a coalition of high-profile local and transnational companies in Thailand - will create markets for products made by families of HIV/Aids patients.
Chawin Sirinak, director of the city's Aids Control Division, said a pilot project launched last August at the city-run Nong Chok Hospital was a success. The number of Aids patients taking anti-retroviral cocktail there rose from six to 40, he said.
Aids patients at the hospital were more open and not reluctant to let others know they had the disease. "They've become optimistic and agreed to receive the medicine regularly," he said.
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